The movie star and former California governor provided an update on his recovery in a short video that accompanied a tweet that said: "Thank you all for caring. We are moving forward.”

In the 53-second clip, the 70-year-old actor showed his appreciation to his fans for wishing him well in his recovery before discussing his progress.

“Thank you so much for all your wishes and for all the cards and the phone calls and the emails and the texts and all this kind of stuff that I got from around the world,” he said.

“I really appreciate that very much, and you're very kind.”

The Terminator star thanked fans for their support (Image: @Schwarzenegger)

The Terminator star had initially gone into hospital to replace a valve being used to correct a congenital heart defect but following complications he ended up having open-heart surgery.

When he awoke his first word’s to medics were “I’m back” using the phrase from the hit 1984 movie that helped make him a global star.

Giving the update on his recovery, Schwarzenegger added: "I just want you to know that I'm feeling much better.

“I can't say, even with my positive attitude, that I'm great because I'm not great yet. Great is a totally different level. But I'm good. I feel good. I get good care, good doctors, good nurses. Everything is fantastic.”

Schwarzenegger then explained a chess set-up in front of him.

"I'm here at a chessboard playing a little bit of chess here to freshen my mind and my memory a little bit," he said. "And we move forward. So I will stay in touch with all of you. And thank you all for being such jewels."

Schwarzenegger has had a history of heart trouble after having undergone surgery before (Image: PA)

He underwent the surgery on March 29 at Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles.

Schwarzenegger has had a history of heart trouble after having undergone surgery before.

He had a valve replaced in 1997.

At the time doctors didn't feel the procedure was urgently needed, but Schwarzenegger opted for the operation while he was still young.

After that operation, Schwarzenegger said: “I've never felt sick or had any symptoms at all, but I knew I'd have to take care of this condition sooner or later.

“I said to the doctors, ‘Let's do it now, while I'm young and healthy.’

“They agreed this was the way to go.”

A valve replacement is a procedure in which a patient's leaky, or partially block aortic valve is replaced with an artificial heart valve.